Aug 22, 2019 2 min read

The largest collection of real mummies and related artifacts ever assembled is coming to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

“Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” will open to the public Oct. 5. It will feature 125 real mummies from across the globe, and provide a window into the lives of ancient people from every region of the world, incliuding Europe, South America and ancient Egypt, offering unprecedented insights into past cultures and civilizations.

State-of-the-art multimedia stations will take visitors on a 4,500-year journey to explore the history of mummies and the origins of how they were created.

“Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” will demonstrate how mummification can take place through both natural and intentional practices. Included in the collection are:

• The Vac Mummies, a mummified family from Hungary believed to have died from tuberculosis. Their bodies were preserved in a small church until the remains of 265 mummies were discovered by a bricklayer during repair work in 1994.
• Baron von Holz, a German nobleman found tucked away in the family crypt of a 14th century castle, wearing his best leather boots after dying in the castle while seeking refuge from the Thirty Years’ War.
• Egyptian animal mummies, including a cat, falcon, snow rabbit, lizard, weasel, and fish, some of which were deliberately preserved to accompany royals for eternity.
• MUMAB, the first authentic replication of the Egyptian mummification process done on a dead body in 2,800 years. It took place in 1994, using the same tools and methods that were described on ancient Egyptian papyrus.

The exhibit will also feature South American shrunken heads, medical mummies from the early 19th century, and examples of what bog bones, embalmed skin and mummified animal fur feel like.

Advance reservations to “Mummies of the World” are encouraged. Timed tickets will be available starting Sept. 3 at CarnegieScienceCenter.org. For additional information, call 412-237-3400.